THE SUBSTITUTE HUSBAND’S RISE TO POWER.

“I want the divorce, and I want it now.” Alexander Thorne’s voice had a hint of finality. He was done, and he doesn’t even have the intention to change his mind.

The room fell silent as Alexander sat rigid across the polished mahogany desk, his gaze locked on the city’s top divorce attorney. The man’s face, usually a mask of calculated indifference, twisted with disbelief.

The attorney couldn’t believe what Alexander had just said, the last thing he expected was Alexander filing for divorce against his wife, a woman all the men in the country are practically dying for.

“Let me get this straight,” the man spoke as he straightened. “You want to file against Elena Max? The Elena Max?” The lawyer leaned forward, voice low.

Alexander drew in a sharp breath as he nodded. That was precisely what he wanted, and he wanted it as quickly as possible.

Five years. He’d been married to Elena for five years, and even the world called him the luckiest man alive for being the husband of the CEO of Max Global. But he was done, he wanted out.

The attorney exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. “We need grounds. Strong one. Implacable differences won’t cut it with her resources. She’ll bury you alive.”

Without a word, but with one thing on his mind ‘divorce’, Alex slid a thick envelope across the desk, and photos slipped out of the envelope.

The photos were shots of Elena tangled in hotel sheets with Marcus Hale, her body arched in pleasure, his hands gripping her like she belonged to him.

Next were videos, the lawyer clicked one open, and without preamble, Elena’s moans filled the office as she screamed Marcus’ name in pleasure, it made Alex’s chest twist, but he remained stoic.

The lawyer immediately stopped the video from playing, and silence was restored in the office. The attorney’s face was void of color as he stared at the evidence, then at Alex, who sat unmoving, jaw tight.

“Evidence enough?” Alex asked, his voice sharp and cutting, and it was now the lawyer’s turn to be speechless for a second before he regained himself.

“Yes,” The man nodded slowly, already reaching for his tablet. “I’ll take care of it.” He assured Alex, who winced as he clutched at his chest.

The ache from his still-healing wounds was flaring hot, making it hard for him to breathe, but he forced a bitter smile as he looked at the attorney. “Please… make it fast.”

THREE DAYS AGO.

Alex laid the bed, ribs cracked, stab wounds stitched from the ambush at their anniversary gala. He had fought like hell, his instinct as a former doctor kicking in as he did everything he could to stop his own bleeding, and dragged Elena to safety.

Elena had escaped without a single scratch on her, but he had almost lost his life in that fight.

Voices drifted from the hallway. The voice belonged to Elena, it was crisp and composed in German.

Alex had learned the language months ago, secretly, just to surprise her. To make her smile the way she used to at Marcus.

“Have you lost your mind?!” A voice hissed from over the phone, and Alex recognized the voice, it was Halsey’s voice, Elena’s friend.

“Hiring thugs to sabotage your own wedding anniversary? That is insane, Elena. It’s as crazy as crazy can get! What if he had died?” Halsey sounded both concerned and appalled.

Elena’s laugh was cold as she continued her communication in German. “I’m not crazy. Marcus came back. I couldn’t just sit there pretending to celebrate with Alexander. It would’ve made Marcus jealous. I needed an accident.”

Alex’s blood turned to ice in his veins, he couldn’t believe it. The kidnappers had been hers? She had asked them to sabotage the party?

Halsey pressed harder, standing up for Alex, and trying to set Elena straight. “Five years ago Marcus left you for someone else. Alexander gave up his entire medical career to worship you. And you’re being so biased because Marcus came back?”

Elena grunted in anger. “Stop yapping like it’s something serious. It is not that deep.” Elena barked at Halsey. “There’s no bias.” She added with a snap.

“I married Alexander because he had a shadow of Marcus in him. That’s all he ever was to me…. A substitute and nothing more than that.” She added, Alex’s mind was spiraling now.

Halsey fell quiet. “His love for you nearly got him killed. It is unfair that you’ll do this to a man that has done nothing but be loyal to you, he puts you first in everything.” She eventually spoke.

There was a pause, and Elena’s voice softened, but not with remorse. “It got out of hand. I didn’t expect him to fight so hard to protect me.” She sighed.

“I won’t risk that again. But I’ll keep him as my husband. If Marcus leaves me once more, I’ll go back to treating Alexander right. Just… keep it quiet. He must never know.” She finished.

Alex’s body went numb. His mind replayed every moment with Elena, every sacrifice… and he had been nothing but a placeholder to her. A shadow of the man she truly loved.

Alex stared at the ceiling as the world he’d built crumbled into dust with the realization that she never for once loved him.

BACK TO THE PRESENT.

The lawyer’s voice snapped Alex out of the deep thought he was lost in. “The papers are ready. Sign here, and we serve her immediately.”

Alex nodded as he scribbled his signature, his mind already racing ahead. He would end this. Now.

Alex drove home in silence, and after about an hour of driving, he finally made it to the house. The doors clicked open to an unorganized chaos.

There were designer suitcases all over the floor, clothes draped over the couch. Elena stood in the living room, laughing as she folded a shirt.

“You can stay as long as you want, Marcus. Make yourself at home.” Alex heard her say while his eyes were still scanning around, trying to figure out what’s going on.

He looked up to see Marcus, standing tall, polished, and he didn’t need Elena to explain, he already knew, but he asked anyway. “What’s going on here?”

Elena glanced up, blank for a beat, then shrugged. “Marcus just got back to the country. His rental has issues, so I decided that he’s going to stay with us for a little while.” She explained with a forced smile.

Alex felt as though someone had punched him in the guts. She had the nerve to bring the man that has haunted their marriage for years into their house?

Marcus turned, his facial expression was a humble smile, but Alex knew that humility was fake. “I should have asked first, Alex.”

Marcus took Alexander’s hands in his, still faking humility. “If it makes you uncomfortable, I’ll leave right now. I promise you, I don’t want you to be uncomfortable in your own house.”

Alex scoffed, the sound sharp as he quickly moved his hands away from Marcus. “What does my opinion matter? You’ve already moved in without asking.”

Marcus immediately pivoted to Elena, acting as if he was about to leave, but Elena stopped him, holding him back before frowning at Alex. “Don’t get jealous over nothing. We’re just friends.” She snapped at him.

Jealous? Just friends?

Rage surged through Alex, hot and explosive, he wanted to shatter the room in a fit of anger, but then, he only laughed, realizing that they weren’t worth it.

“I was just joking.” Alex said amidst laughter. “I actually don’t mind at all. Make yourself at home.”

Elena’s eyes narrowed slightly with suspicion, but Marcus relaxed, flashing a smug grin, but Alex didn’t look at him at all as he reached into his coat and pulled out the thick folder.

“In fact,” Alex said, his voice steady and calm as he extended the folder to Elena. “I have an agreement here that I need you to sign.”